


Batter Up

by sy62697



Category: Katekyou Hitman Reborn!
Genre: After future arc, Awkward Flirting, Baseball Idiots, Confessions, Crushes, F/M, First Dates, Flashbacks, Fluff, Middle School, Reborn being his weird self, Teenagers, Yamamoto is precious, cute kisses, minor spoilers I think?, reader is middle school student, wholesome
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-07-25
Updated: 2017-08-26
Packaged: 2018-12-07 00:22:36
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 6,743
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11612049
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/sy62697/pseuds/sy62697
Summary: It all started with a task to interview Namimori Middle's baseball team.[Yamamoto Takeshi X Reader]





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Heyo! Seems like forever since I've posted anything here ^^; It's also been a minute since I've written KHR, so I think I'm going to focus on that for now probably, whether it's fluffy or smutty.  
> Also I have at least one more chapter planned out for this, possibly more depending on how I finish this chapter :)  
> Thanks for reading and I hope you enjoy!

_Ok, calm down. You got this! You’ve done this tens of times now._

Try as you might, an overwhelming chill of nervousness washed over you, turning your stomach cold at the thought of what you were about to do. Sure you had done it a plethora of times by now. And sure you had talked to the, dare you say, _elites_ of the school like the prettiest girls, the smartest scholars, and the toughest jocks. You had faced the most intimidating of students without even a tremble in your lip, spoke to the cream of the crop as if you stood on equal ground.

And yet here you were, quaking in your shoes and grabbing at your bag to dry your wet, itchy palms. It was definitely too hot outside, wasn't it? Like the sun itself decided to narrow in on you and beam you with an extreme heat wave. As a reporter for the school’s newspaper, there was no possible way for you to be this nervous to talk to someone.

But it wasn't just anyone. No, it was Yamamoto Takeshi (well, the baseball team he captained). The cute baseball boy you’ve had an enormous crush on for _two years_. Enormous was an understatement when describing how you felt for the smiling goof. The way he was so gentle and lackadaisical all the time always made your heart race. He never had a bad day, and his smile always lit up the room. On the field, he was so ferocious and passionate that it took your breath away when he hit home runs. It was almost terrifying how fast he went from happy-go-lucky to fierce and determined, but that was just another part of him that you admired so much.

“Ugh, why did they vote me for this article?” you cursed to yourself quietly. Maybe if you were lucky, someone else would volunteer to be interviewed. But, that probably wasn’t likely since Yamamoto was the standing star athlete of Namimori Middle, and will probably remain as such even into his high school career. He had an incredibly bright future ahead of him, and you’d be lying if you said you didn’t picture that future with glimpses of yourself in it. It was fun to wonder how your own future would be if he was involved in it.

Somewhere in the midst of your daydreaming, you had walked all the way out to the baseball field, the sand crunching beneath your shoes as you stared at them. With the image of Yamamoto being older and donning a tight fitting uniform, you had neglected to see the baseball currently flying towards your face at high velocity.

That was, until a leathery mit appeared before your vision, as if in slow motion. Your eyes widened as the blood drained from your face as you watched the dust blow off the mit as the ball made contact. Hard. Hard enough to send said mit back just enough to brush against the tip of your nose before it jolted forward again. 

By the time your senses rubber-banded back to you, you released a heavy sigh you didn't know you were holding, along with part of your soul. Your heart dropped into your stomach and your skin instantly grew cold and clammy. You were almost decapitated for crying out loud!

Quickly looking over to your savior, your knees nearly gave out as a warm tingly feeling suddenly engulfed your insides.

Yamamoto stood before you, tossing the baseball up into the air slightly before he gripped it with his ungloved hand and threw it back to the pitcher, nearly knocking the kid off the mound. You would have laughed if you weren’t utterly swooning over the fact that _Yamamoto had saved you like a goddamn superhero AND WAS SMILING AT YOU RIGHT NOW._

Shit! He’ll probably be creeped out by your staring but _that smile._ That smile could blow away a hurricane, that goofy, lopsided grin of his. You could feel the blood rise to the surface of your cheeks as you gaped in awe, stars surely twinkling in your eyes by now.

That was, until Yamamoto seemed to realize something. His eyes widened before he was suddenly coughing into his fist, the tiniest of blushes rising to his cheekbones. The sight nearly made you melt into a puddle.

You quickly recomposed yourself as you shook your head as if to clear it. But it was hard to remember why you were here when the mocha eyed boy began sputtering out something, his eyes looking everywhere but you. It was so cute.

You promptly slapped your own cheeks none too lightly, startling the ebony haired athlete enough to make him squeak a confused “huh?”.

Right. Interview. No more distractions.

“Um,” you cleared your throat, “thanks for, uh, you know, saving me.”

Yeah, real smooth. 

Yamamoto seemed to relax instantly at your words, however. He was smiling once again and your heart started beating quickly.

“No problem! It’s a good thing I saw you coming and ran over here,” he closed his eyes as he smiled brighter. “You almost got really hurt!” He laughed heartily, bringing a hand to the back of his head. His laugh was intoxicating and so very adorable.

As if you needed more reasons to fall head over heels for him.

“Well I'm really glad that you were there. I owe you for that,” you smiled to him, feeling yourself relax as his eyes met yours. They were such a vibrant mocha color, complimenting his tanned skin perfectly. You made a noise as you doffed your bag and searched for your notebook, missing the flustered look on the taller boy’s face at your words. He quickly wiped it off when you straightened with your pen and pad, looking up to him with a smile.

“Actually, I was wondering if you had time for an interview? I’m with the school’s new-”

“Oh! The school’s newspaper right? I know who you are,” he sent you a quick closed-eye smile as he giggled to himself. “I like to read the ones you write, especially sports. You’re so good at it!” At this point you were beyond flustered at the realization that he knew who you were. You weren't a stranger, and he seemed genuine about it. It was always flattering when others enjoyed your work, but to receive a compliment from your all time crush? You felt like your heart was going to explode.

“I really liked the one you wrote about Sasagawa-senpai!” he blurted, his eyes opening and seeming to be instantly brighter. Your memory flashed as you remembered the spiky haired boxer. To say he was passionate about the boxing was a devastating understatement.

“Oh yeah! He was really fun to watch, too,” you smiled at the memory. It seemed odd that the batter would be friends with the boxer, but to see his reaction about someone you surmised was a friend..well, it made butterflies stir in your stomach.

Crap! Interview, back to work!

“Anyways, do you think I could borrow a few minutes of your time? I promise I won't keep you from practice for long,” you smiled to him, clutching onto your notebook in anticipation. You realized that asking him to take time from practice was a lot for a passionate athlete, and honestly expected him to decline. After all, he took baseball very seriously-

“Sure! I don't mind, but let's sit at the dugout just in case,” he laughed as you were floored at his quick answer. You were about to ask about after practice, but swallowed your words as a warm hand pressed against the small of your back. Every hair on your body stood on end as it took all of your willpower to stop the shiver from shaking your notebook out of your hands. When he applied a soft pressure, your face instantly ignited as you walked at his pace.

You didn’t even _dare_ to sneak a glimpse at Yamamoto because you just _knew_ he would have that charming smile. The thought made your knees weak and _if this is a dream, **please** don’t ever wake me up_.

The walk was too short lived, and soon the warm hand on your back disappeared, leaving a cold spot in its wake. Attempting to not look disappointed, you sat down and patted the spot next to you, which the ebony haired teen gladly took, leaving enough room to put a single hand between the two of you. Looking up, you almost forgot what you were going to ask him when you met his excited gaze.

This was going to be a long interview.

You began with the easy questions: why baseball, have you thought of other sports, what’s your favorite part, where did you learn to play, how would you encourage others, so on and so forth. It wasn’t until you inquired about anything he would change about the Namimori Middle baseball team that you received a rather odd answer.

“Well, to be honest,” Yamamoto’s voice had dropped to a near whisper, which definitely caught your attention, “I just don’t want the sport to die. If I can help it, I’d like to make sure the equipment room never becomes a garbage shed.” You were speechless at the forlorn, frustrated gaze in his eyes as his fists clenched tightly. It was rather specific, and made you wonder if Yamamoto had heard or seen something he wasn’t supposed to.

At a loss for words, your heart grew heavy when the teen before you clenched his jaws tight as he stared down into the sand. Not sure what to do, you resorted to bringing a hand up and placing it over Yamamoto’s clenched fist. He instantly stiffened as he looked over to you with wide eyes; you sent him an apologetic smile. The mocha colored orbs widened ever so slightly more before he realized what he had done and took a deep breath, looking forward again. You moved your hand when his unclenched, patting his shoulder.

“S-sorry about that,” he laughed weakly, “I just...haven’t been able to tell anyone something that’s been on my mind,” he spoke quietly. You were still feeling unsure of what to do, but you felt like you should stay and comfort him.

“Do you...want me to give you some space?” you offered, folding up your notebook in your lap. Yamamoto quickly shook his head, straightening up as he sent you a look of panic.

“No, no! It’s...I’d like to be around you, actually. I’ve always wanted to be close to you.” When he realized what he said, you both froze as heat gathered in your cheeks. Totally frozen, you could do nothing but gaze at him in shock, your heart deciding it was going to race a million miles an hour, beating against your ribcage painfully. Yamamoto sputtered a bit before he finally swallowed thickly.

“Is that alright with you?” he asked sheepishly. When your eyes seem to sparkle, he relaxed a bit. You nodded eagerly.

“O-of course. Actually, I,” you gulped down your fear, nervousness taking you over as you decided it would be a good time to make a move. If he was alright with being around you, and wanted to be close, then why stop it?

“I still owe you for the interview, and for saving me. We could go to that little bakery not far from here sometime. My treat?” By now your face wasn’t going to get any more crimson, but you did notice that Yamamoto seemed flushed as well. He grinned before laughing that intoxicating, infectious laugh.

“I can’t have a cute girl paying for me, but I’ll definitely keep her company.”

Well, it appears that your face could get warmer. So hot in fact that you were pretty sure steam was billowing out from your collar by now. Your heart skipped a beat as you realized that you basically asked him out on a date and _he said yes_.

And Yamamoto couldn’t have looked happier either. He was grinning from ear to ear as his cheeks slowly faded back to his usual skin tone. Before you could say or do anything else, he jumped up to his feet, startling you back to your senses.

“Wow, I feel a lot better. Who knew an interview could be so much fun?” he laughed again, the noise going straight to your heart. You smiled and stood up as well, putting your notebook away and Yamamoto donned his mit once more. You straightened and stood before him with a smile, no doubt a blush still on your cheeks. You hadn’t realized how much taller he was than you.

“So, want to go tomorrow after practice?” he asked, his smile blinding. You nodded happily as you followed him out of the dugout.

“Yeah, I’ll meet you outside the locker room.” You told him, waving goodbye as you turned to head back to the main building. Yamamoto waved as well, his grin never leaving.

“Sounds great. It’s a date then!”

Oh, this boy was going to be the death of you.


	2. Swing, Batter

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Yamamoto tries to act cool around you, but things end up taking an interesting turn.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ayy a chaptered fic! Haven't seen one of these from me in a while xD I think I have room for one more chapter before I try to pick up that smut series I've been thinking about for the sexy boys of KHR.  
> Anyways, thanks for reading and I hope you enjoy!!

_This is really happening? Definitely has to be a dream this time. Right? You guess it could be that whole heaven-on-Earth thi-_

A hand waving in front of your face tore your attention away from your thoughts and to the grinning teen in front of you. Cheeks flushed, you muttered an apology under your breath as Yamamoto simply released his usual, adorable laugh. Now you were really blushing, embarrassment settling in your stomach.

“We’re here, by the way,” he spoke with a smile as he turned around to face the bakery, putting his hands on his hips. All qualms and embarrassment dissipated when the scents of fresh baked cakes and cookies flooded your olfactory senses, sending them into overdrive and leaving your mouth watering.

“It smells great already!” you grinned, immediately making your way to the glass door. Yamamoto made a noise of agreement as he walked beside you until you both reached the door, where he promptly reached a lithe arm in front of you to grab the handle, opening it for you. You smiled and thanked him as you walked in.

A warm, guiding hand on the small of your back nearly made you trip over your own feet and you barely stopped yourself from tipping over. 

However, as quickly as it appeared, it vanished once you were inside the building. He really liked touching your back, and though the thought made you giddy and pleased, your nerves and heart could only take so much before they blew apart into happy pieces. But still, you wouldn’t shy away from him if you could help it. 

Stepping up to the bakery counter, you looked up and down the shelves at all the tantalizing goodies lining them from left to right. Macarons, chocolate, brownies, cookies, pretzel treats, cake, pie...you were going to become diabetic from just looking at all this sugar. Why was it that the most unhealthy foods always tasted the best? As you skimmed over the treats, Yamamoto seemed to have decided what he wanted. Pointing to a display cake, he informed the employee that he’d like one piece. You looked around until your eyes caught a particularly yummy looking slice of a pie.

After you each got a tasty treat, you found a nice table for two along the wall and took your respective seats across from each other. The first few awkward seconds were spent trying your desserts before exclaiming how delicious it was. Then, a miracle happened.

“You’ve gotta try some of this!” Yamamoto smiled innocently as he held his fork out to you, a piece of fluffy white cake skewered on the tines like a sacrificial offering. Heat flooded your cheeks instantly as you shakily leaned forward, trying not to stab yourself in the lips due to nervousness. As you finally closed your lips around his fork and pulled away, Yamamoto’s grin only widened with joy. _And was that a blush on his cheeks?_

But there were more pressing matters.

**He let you eat off his fork after he used it! Lucky day!**

By the time you noticed he was asking your opinion on the cake, shock electrocuted your nerves as you realized you hadn’t even eaten the piece yet. Quickly chewing and playing it off as savoring the flavor, you hummed in appreciation.

“Wow, that’s really good!” You quickly scooped a piece of your pie with your own fork and offered it to the ebony haired beauty before you with a sheepish smile. “Would you like to try some of mine?”

He wasted zero seconds in leaning forward and nearly biting your fingers as he engulfed your slice of pie with closed eyes. Unable to be mad, you simply gawked at how cute he looked doing so. _Seriously, how can someone look cute when they nearly ate your fork?!_

He pulled back with a look of amusement, giggling a little to himself.

“Yours is pretty tasty, but still nowhere as sweet as you,” he grinned cheekily as he closed his eyes again, rubbing the back of his neck.

And you nearly fainted.

At least you had the reaction time to make sure your face hit the table and _not_ the yummy pie. Pain spread through your forehead at the harsh contact, and you faintly heard Yamamoto yelp in surprise.

“W-Was that too cheesy?! Are...are you okay?” Nodding your head against the table, you let yourself take a deep breath to calm your nerves. And to possibly make sure that your nose wasn’t gushing blood all over the clean table surface. 

“Y-Yeah, it’s all good!” you finally sat up, feeling a little lightheaded and a dull throbbing on your forehead. No doubt there would be a red mark, but your face was flushed enough that it most likely blended in. As your eyes lifted to the mocha eyed teen, you saw that he smiled at you sheepishly, a worried smile on his lips. Your heart skipped a beat.

“I hope it’s okay if I say things like that. It doesn’t creep you out, does it?” A sudden look of concern flashed across his tanned face as he gasped. “I’m sorry if I’ve been acting creepy!”

“N-No, it’s alright, Yamamoto!” you quickly raised your hands up and gave him a wobbly smile. “I think it’s cute.”

His body instantly froze at that, his eyes wide as he gazed at you in awe, mouth gaping open. You swear you saw a twinkle in his eye, but _weren’t you supposed to be the one fangirling?_

He then relaxed heavily, his body slumping in the chair heavily as he leaned back against the chair, sighing contently. The smile on his lips was soft and genuine, and it made your brain buzz with an oxytocin haze. He took another bite of his cake before he spoke up again, and you followed suit and continued to slowly eat.

“You know,” he started, staring at the plate with a smile, “I’m really glad.”

“Hm?” You sent him a curious look, hinting him to elaborate. His eyes met yours as he smiled wider.

“I’m really glad that I don’t creep you out. I’ve been nervous about talking to you because I’m not smooth like Gokudera or cool like Tsuna,” his eyes never left yours as he spoke. You maintained eye contact with him, hoping that this wasn’t the start of a dream.

_Oh god, what if you knocked yourself out on the table and this is all a dream?!_

“But I’m glad that I found the courage when you were on the baseball field. When I saw it was you, I knew that that was my moment,” he giggled a bit, rubbing the back of his neck nervously as a blush erupted on his cheeks. Seeing him blush made yours burn crimson and your heart beat like a drum against your chest.

“Wait,” you paused as a horribly ironic realization shook your bones, “you were nervous to talk to me?” He nodded, scratching his cheek sheepishly. _Please don’t faint again._

“Of course! You’re cute, caring, and always having fun. Plus you’re really passionate about your job with the school newspaper. I started noticing you at the baseball games, so I tried to play better knowing that you were watching,” he confessed, his blush growing with each sentence.

Your heart nearly stopped. Cute? Caring? He noticed you at his games? _And tried to play better when he did?!_

“I...It should be the other way around,” you laughed weakly, instantly garnering all of his attention as you cleared your throat. “I’ve had such a crush on you, but I was nervous to approach because you’re so amazing! Way out of my league,” you laughed a bit at how great it felt to be telling him the things on your mind. And he didn’t seem to be reacting negatively, so you continued.

“But to think that you’ve been nervous too?” you paused to chuckle, bringing your palm to your forehead, “We must be pretty dense if we both acted like that.” Yamamoto laughed with you.

“Yeah, all this time we could have been getting to know each other better!” As you two laughed a bit, finding the irony in the situation to be too great, a sudden third member joined the conversation. As a small child landed in the middle of the table from nowhere, you nearly fell out of your chair from shock.

_And why was the baby dressed in a suit?!_

“Ciaossu~”

“Reborn!” Yamamoto smiled happily, and you sent him a disbelieving look. He knew this baby? Questions instantly began flowing through your head as the baby looked over to you with unblinking eyes.

“You can still make up for lost time, idiots.” He turns to face Yamamoto. “You’re a member of the Vongola Family, Yamamoto. No matter how large or small the obstacle, a Vongola shows no fear and no hesitation.”

Yamamoto’s eyes widened as he gasped softly, as if the baby’s words had spoken directly to his soul. You were confused, but you couldn’t deny the fact that you felt a sudden sense of inspiration from the words spoken; he emanated an immense aura that made you feel like obeying his every command. _That’s definitely not a baby, but you can ask another time._

“Now,” the little body spoke, hat tilting down to shadow his eyes as he “hm”ed confidently. “Go and seize the day.” With that, the baby leapt from the table and towards the door. Your eyes followed him as he disappeared within seconds of flying out the door.

“He’s right…” Yamamoto’s voice was barely above a whisper, and you barely caught it. Looking back over to him, you shrank back a bit at his shadowed face, now emanating his own aura. However, his aura seemed dangerously serious, especially when he smirked. Was this even Yamamoto still?!

“That’s why…”

**BAM**

You yelped in surprise as the ebony haired teen slammed his hands down on the table roughly, shaking it and jarring the silverware noisily. Looking up into his mocha eyes, your breath caught in your throat as you saw his serious expression. His eyes were wild, like that of a hungry beast, but the confident smirk on his lips made him appear a _little_ collected.

Well, until he shot up from his chair, the legs squealing in protest against the polished floor as the chair fell over backwards. Were those _sparkles in his eyes?!_

“(Name), please go on a date with me today!”

Absolutely no hesitation in his words, no hint of him losing any composure. He was utterly pumped, reminding you greatly of a certain silver haired boxer. And the look of excitement in his eyes...your heart definitely wasn’t going to make it much longer before it beat itself to death.

“T-Today?”

“Right now!”

“Right now?! Where are we going?!” By now you were no longer sure of exactly what was even happening, all you knew was that Yamamoto wanted to take you for a date.

“So that’s a yes?!” Yamamoto was grinning so brightly you almost had to shield your eyes.

“I guess, I’m not sure where we’ll be able to go this la-AATE!”

Not even giving you a chance to finish, Yamamoto snatched your wrist and pulled you from your chair, sending your brain reeling. He pulled you behind him as he burst through the door of the bakery and began running down the main street. At first you were terrified, asking him to stop running, but then he sent you a reassuring grin and a wink over his shoulder.

So you worried more about stopping the blood from flowing from your nose. After a little while, you actually began to have fun. Adrenaline had flooded your system, your heart beating wildly as you noticed that Yamamoto had moved his hand to hold onto yours instead of your wrist.

After a few more minutes of running, you finally asked him to slow down, nearly out of breath as your lungs _burned like fire_. So much for your P.E. conditioning. Panting heavily, you dug a hand into your side in attempt to stop the cramp, your other hand still in Yamamoto’s.

“Where,” you sucked in sweet oxygen, “where are we even going?” Yamamoto laughed a bit at your wheezing before his eyes blinked owlishly. He looked around, seeing that the two of you were stopped by the school and that the sun would be setting within an hour. He then scratched the back of his head sheepishly as you struggled to catch your breath.

“I have no idea. Didn’t think I’d get this far,” he laughed heartily as if nothing was wrong. You looked at him in disbelief, sighing heavily. He then straightened up as he looked back at the school.

“I know! Let’s go play baseball,” his grin spread from ear to ear and you _knew_ you couldn’t say ‘no’ to that face in a million years. So, you sent him a soft smile, making a small blush bloom from his cheeks.

“Only if you go easy on me, I’d rather not _actually_ lose my head this time,” you laughed a bit, Yamamoto joining in as he put a hand on the back of his neck. He then sighed happily and sent you a loving look that nearly made you melt into a puddle.

“I’ll try, but when it comes to you, I feel like I shouldn’t hold back anymore.”


	3. Home Run

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> You agree to play baseball with Yamamoto. What could possibly go wrong?

_This is seriously how people die._

Quaking in your shoes, it was all you could do to grip the baseball handle with your sweaty hands, not evening trying to hold it properly. Your face was pale as you gave a worried glance to Yamamoto, who stood grinning at the pitcher’s mound with closed eyes, showing off sparkly white teeth. He was so terribly happy to be playing baseball with you, but when he said he shouldn't hold back anymore, _he damn well meant it._

It was bad enough almost having your head taken off the day before, but now to be back on the receiving end of a devastating pitch, this time by Yamamoto? You would be lucky to leave here in one piece. The first pitch he hurled connected with the metal bat before you could even _swing the damn thing_ and ripped the handle out of your shaky, clammy hands. The bat went flying somewhere behind you while you shrieked and cowered away from the death ball’s trajectory.

“Come on, (Name)-chan! That was just a warm-up!” Yamamoto laughed heartily, his eyes closed innocently. As the blood drained from your face, you couldn't deny that your heart had skipped a beat at the new addition of ‘chan’ to your name. Was he trying to kill you via heart attack? Because it was going to happen whether from shock or an overload of how utterly perfect Yamamoto was being. Why did he have to be so adorable? Hopefully he didn’t think you were weak.

Stalking around to the bat on unsteady feet, you begrudgingly picked up the metal stick and shuffled back to your spot at the home base, all the while looking on and admiring the cute smile of the dark haired teen. When you were up to the plate once again, Yamamoto suddenly mirrored your pose and stood as if he had a baseball bat in his hands.

“It helps when you hold it like this,” he began, holding an imaginary bat. Oh boy, Yamamoto’s famous words of wisdom were soon upon you. Moving your hands anyway, you adjusted them so that you had a little better grip.

“And then _swooosh!_ right before the _peeoww!_ ,” he grinned as he swung his imaginary bat, dropping one hand to raise it over his eyes to watch the imaginary home run. You couldn't stop the giggle that erupted from your throat at this. How did he not realize how adorable he was?

“You’re such a scary dork,” you laughed as you readied yourself again, the fear of being delimbed not as prominent anymore. Yamamoto simply grinned happily ahead, his cheeks dusted pink.

“It's all in the hips, too!” He quickly added, making sure to wiggle his around a bit in emphasis with mumbles of “boom, boom”, making you laugh more. This time, he joined in the laughing. The noise made your stomach flutter sporadically and your heart thump against your ears. When he finished with a quick inhale, he told you to be ready. You were feeling a lot better about this now that you had some good laughs and were feeling lighter.

Well, until you saw his eyes narrow dangerously, striking a powerful pitching pose before he yelled and threw the ball harder than the last time. _Just how much power could he put into those damn things!?_

Once again, the bat was ripped from your grasp as it flew behind you at high speeds, crashing against the protective netting in front of the bleachers. You looked back in utter horror as your stomach grew cold and empty, the chill making your body shiver. That wasn't a teenage boy laughing happily behind you, that was a baseball demon. Home Run Satan.

“M-Maybe we should call it a day,” you mumbled out as you turned to face Yamamoto, who still had an energetic gleam in his eyes. He looked behind him to see that the sky was garnering orange streaks across the yellowing sunset; there was still at least an hour of daylight. He quickly turned back to you with pleading eyes.

“Just one more?” he asked with sparkling, wide eyes. Your heart nearly stopped at the sight, making you stumble backwards a bit. You tried to play it off as you turning to pick up the bat as you sheepishly nodded back to him, glad you didn’t fall over.

“A-Alright, just one more. Go easy on me this time, though?” you called back to him, picking up the bat and walking back to the base. He nodded powerfully, grinning bright enough to light up the field. You readied yourself, holding a firm grip on the bat. It might get ripped out of your hands again, but it wouldn’t hurt to try again. Right? _Sure hope so._

Watching carefully, you were shocked to see Yamamoto gearing up to throw an underhanded toss, his stance exponentially more relaxed. Time seemed to slow as you saw the ball soaring through the air towards you. You _actually saw the ball!_ Without thinking, you closed your eyes and found yourself swinging the bat instantly, your hips gyrating as your foot twisted, arms straightening powerfully. The soft _ting_ rung in your ears as you followed through, relief exploding in your system as you hit the ball.

_You hit the ball!_

Throwing the bat behind you, you opened your eyes to look at where the ball went. However, your heart dropped into your stomach when you saw Yamamoto falling into the sand on his back. A gasp ripped from your throat as you instantly ran over to where the teen lay around a puff of dust.

“Yamamoto?!” you cried as you skidded to a stop next to him, looking down at his pained face. His little groan of _“it-t-t-t-tai”_ didn’t make you feel any better as you noticed an angry crimson mark on his left cheek. The realization that you hit him in the face with the ball made you instantly tear up as guilt flooded your system. He was just having fun and you hurt him, you ruined it.

“I-I’m so sorry! I didn’t mean to hurt your face!” Apologies spewed from your lips as you dropped to your knees in the sand, watching him sit up and cup his throbbing cheek. He kept his left eye closed but sent you a teasing look with his right, an innocent smile on his lips.

“It doesn’t hurt too bad. But if you kissed it better, I bet it wouldn’t hurt at all,” he spoke casually, watching your panic turn into confusion and then transform into a very flustered shock.

**_KISS HIM?!_** It was only on the cheek but _still! **You didn’t study for this!!**_

Absentmindedly gripping the fabric above your frantic heart, your grip was vice-like on your shirt as you gasped for breath, feeling as if you’d just nearly been hit by a train. Nearly about to explode, your heart beat powerfully against your ears. _Oh lord, you were going to faint._

Yamamoto, ever so ignorant of your love-struck panic, decided to tilt his head and display his red cheek to you, tapping on it to emphasize where he wanted your lips. This was followed by a “Right here, (Name)-chan~”...

...And you promptly blacking out, falling into the sand with a smile on your lips.

~

When your senses came back to you, you were in motion. Your body was still, but it was moving. The slight breeze felt nice on your face and gently roused your mind. Opening your eyes, the first thing you saw was the side of Yamamoto’s face, then the sidewalk that he was walking along. Blinking the tiredness from your eyes, you realized that he was carrying you on his back, your arms around his shoulders and legs hoisted up around his waist. He gripped your thighs securely, making you feel much more comfortable.

For some reason, you felt relaxed. So content that you rested your head beside his neck and looked out to the side. Yamamoto felt the movement and turned his head to send you a smile.

“I didn’t scare you too bad back there, did I?” You shook your head, enjoying his masculine scent. “Also, I don’t know where you live, so I just started walking this way,” he chuckled a bit nervously. You smiled at how thoughtful he was and told him the way to your home.

“Really? Wow, that isn’t too far from Tsuna’s house!” he grinned widely, turning down a side street. “We should all get together sometime.” Your heart skipped a beat at his excitement, but guilt quickly grounded your thoughts.

“Yamamoto, I’m sorry about what happened at the baseball field,” you started, closing your eyes and letting your head rest against his. He chuckled a bit.

“Don’t worry about it. It really didn’t hurt that bad, and I’ve had a lot worse,” he laughed heartily. How he could laugh at pain, you weren’t sure.

“But I fainted, and probably worried you. Plus you’re carrying me home, and I just feel so...guilty.” Yamamoto shook his head, looking back and sending you a soft smile.

“I was worried, but now I know that you’re alright. So I’m happy. And I’m happy that we got to spend time together today. Nothing could ruin today,” he smiled brightly, looking ahead again. Your heart skipped a beat before you agreed with him, enjoying the view of the sunset.

Before you knew it, you were being eased off Yamamoto’s back and looking over to the doorway of your home. Looking back at him, you smiled and thanked him for taking you home.

“No problem. If you want, I can start walking you to and from school, too,” he grinned with his hands on his hips proudly.

“I’d like that, a lot,” you smiled back to him, feeling your cheeks flush at the thought. Then, your cheeks began glowing red hot as you swallowed thickly, building up some courage. “You know, I never got to kiss your cheek. To make it feel better, of course!” you quickly added, your heart racing. You saw him look surprised for a moment before he grinned widely and laughed, a blush dusting his cheeks.

“Here, you can make all of me feel better,” he said before he leaned down to your face. Your breath hitched as his lips landed on your forehead, kissing you quickly before he pulled away. Your face ignited like the flames of the sun, your heart pulsed with energy, and you felt out of breath. You stood still as he took a step back, putting a hand in his pocket. He then waved goodbye as he started to leave, and you copied the action. Just as you were about to turn and enter the home, he called your name. You looked back at him to see his expression was excited again.

“Are you going to the baseball game this weekend?”

“Of course! I’ll be there to cheer you on!” you smiled brightly to him, seeing him get even more excited. He had those twinkles in his eyes again.

“I’ll get some new personal records then! Seeya, (Name)-chan!” Waving goodbye, you found yourself with a permanent smile on your lips as you went inside, ready to collapse from the extraordinary day you just had.

~

The cheering was loud, the crowd was wild. You were amongst the students and parents in the bleachers, cheering on the baseball team, and Yamamoto specifically. He had noticed you cheering, waved at you with that big, adorable grin, and went back to playing the sport he loved. He was playing so well, the opposing team only being able to get a few points here and there. Namimori would win undoubtedly, but it was still fun to cheer them on until the end.

For Yamamoto, watching you cheer him on and bounce excitedly made his heart leap into his throat as any tense muscles in his body instantly unwound. He began to have flashbacks of the adventure into the future, where he would admire the older you cheering him on during training. Always telling him to get back on the airbike, reminding him to keep his head cool, and giving him tips when using his Box Weapons and flames. The moment that he will always remember, however, is when he could _feel_ your encouragement with him during Choice. He didn’t need to hear your voice to know you were there with him every step of the way.

So when he looked out into the crowd, he was able to find you immediately as his heart swelled with love. It was nearing the end of the game, and he was sure that with his last chance to bat, he would break a personal record. He was going to hit the best home run he’d ever seen, and he would do it with you there to watch it all. Seriousness transformed his face as a profound passion filled his heart. His resolve was strong, and he found himself feeling his flame within him stirring to life. Everything seemed to be in slow motion as he watched the ball leave the pitcher’s hand, traveling toward him. His grip on the bat tightened as he began his swing. 

_Ting_

He watched with pride as the ball went soaring to the edge of the outfield, no doubt going fast enough to land on the other side of the fence line. With stars in his eyes, he watched as the ball disappeared behind the fence. He quickly looked back to you, seeing the awe and joy in your expression, your mouth gaping in a grin. The image burned itself into his memory as he stared, his heart thumping loudly and his stomach fluttering.

Trophies, home runs, medals...all of them may have been accomplishments. But you…

You made him feel like a _real_ winner.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I refuse to let this fandom die! >:V  
> Thanks so much for reading!! I hope you all enjoyed! ^u^ And thanks to everyone who commented and gave such positive feedback on the previous chapters ;u;  
> I hope this chapter wraps it all up well (or provides a good segue into a smut addition huehue)


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